Solar Eclipse
by Neila Nuruodo-Nosferatu
Summary: Songfic to The Funeral of Hearts. AxI, continuation of anime after Order 13. Part I of a twopart cycle. Integra accepts Alucard's offer of immortality, but now who is to be the master, and who the servant? Rating for blood and gore, duh.
1. Do you ever regret becoming a vampire?

Author's note: I had originally intended, after my previous fic, to never upload anything until it was completed. I'm going back on this now. But don't worry, the creative juices are flowing and I actually made an outline this time! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I have no real artistic talent. As such, I've never made any anime, Hellsing for example, nor have I written any music, say, H.I.M.'s song "The Funeral of Hearts." I'm not even a good enough writer to make money off this stuff…

Solar Eclipse

**Chapter 1**

Love's the funeral of hearts

And an ode for cruelty

When angels cry blood

On flowers of evil in bloom

The funeral of hearts

And a plea for mercy

When love is a gun

Separating me from you

---------------

"The decision is yours."

Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing allowed the ghost of a smile to crease her lips. After a long moment, she opened her mouth to reply to her vampire servant, Alucard, to tell him she was not nearly that desperate.

Before she could speak, however, the greedy light in his eyes disappeared, and he turned his head toward the door of her cell before sinking into the floor. She heard the sound of a key in the lock, then the door swung open wide enough to admit a man before closing again with a resounding boom.

The man in question was tall, just past middle age, with a full head of gray hair. He wore a business suit and carried himself with an air of nobility.

Integra raised her ice-blue eyes to him, but did not stand up or in any other way acknowledge his presence. He stopped before a puddle of wine and shattered glass on the floor—a remnant of her aborted conversation with her servant.

"You do not like this vintage, _Miss_ Hellsing?"

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Sir Irons. I presume you are here to deliver the Table's decision."

Sir Irons gave her a rather cold smile. "Indeed." He drew a piece of paper from his breast pocket and unfolded it. "On this day, the 23rd of August, in the Year of Our Lord ----, the Round Table council has determined, by a vote of 9 to 2, Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing stands convicted of gravely overstepping her duties and jurisdiction in ordering an armed assault on London Tower. She shall bear the charges for all losses, both personnel and property, which resulted from this attack.

"Furthermore, she stands convicted, by a vote of 10 to 1, of criminal incompetence regarding the aforementioned offensive and other previously occurring initiatives, for which she is sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and a £10.000 fine."

Integra leaned back. "Of course, had I not sent my troops to deal with the freaks, I would instead be charged with neglecting my duties and endangering the Queen through inaction." Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. "What a cunning setup…"

Sir Irons continued, cutting off her comments. "These punishments are to be carried out, effective immediately, by order of the Knights of the Round Table, under the authority of Her Majesty, the Queen, and with the benediction of the Almighty God." He folded the paper up imperiously and returned it to his pocket. "Now, don't have too much fun," he added with a cruel smile as he turned and left the cell.

After the door had clanged shut, Integra closed her eyes and allowed her head to fall back against the wall in an uncharacteristic display of weakness.

She sat like that for a long moment, then straightened up quickly as soon as she felt the chill that always accompanied her servant's arrival. A patch of wall next to her turned dark, and Alucard stepped out of the wall, the darkness clinging to and rejoining him as he stood again before her.

His characteristic smirk was gone, replaced by a serious expression, a rarity for him. "These human politics make no sense to me."

Integra's hands clenched into fists. "Those fools think they no longer need the Hellsing Organization simply because Incognito has been destroyed and the FREAK chips are no longer in mass production. Those short-sighted, patriarchal, incompetent bastards think _they_ can do what my family has spent a century learning to do." She passed a hand over her face, regaining her composure. "So, in their attempts to grab more power for themselves, they use me and throw me aside."

Alucard drew up a chair and sat facing her, feet crossed at the ankles before him. She found herself silently grateful for his being there to listen, but clamped down on the thought so he wouldn't hear it.

"I don't doubt in a year or two they'll be back to see me, needing my help. Wanting to use me again…" Her jaw clenched. She could envision it, how they'd hold their hats before them, how they'd speak in false tones of respect and apology—it made her blood boil. "Never," she murmured. "They have refused my help now, and it will not be extended again. These fools do not _deserve_ my help, not after this betrayal."

Alucard's carnivorous grin returned to his face. "Wonderful, Master! Tell me, are you considering my offer?"

Integra snorted softly. "And what would that accomplish? I could become one of my family's mortal enemies?" She sighed. "I have no desire to live forever. I'd get _bored,_ for heaven's sake." She gave him a slight smile. "No, Alucard, it is not worth it, not to me."

The grin disappeared from his face, and she was surprised to see it replaced by a troubled expression.

_Why, I wonder, is he so interested in making me a vampire?_ She put on a stern face. "Speak your mind, Alucard."

He glanced at her, several emotions flitting across his face too fast to discern before he settled on a wry smile, broad enough to show his fangs. He tipped his head back, obscuring his eyes behind the glare on his sunglasses, and began to speak with the air of one telling a story.

"As you are well aware, I have served your family for several generations now. I have always been impressed with your line's extraordinary courage and willpower. Such a wonderful trait to have in a master…" He trailed off for a moment, but quickly regained his focus. He sat forward, looking directly at her, his smile disappearing. "But you, Integra—you are by far the strongest woman I have ever met, and perhaps the strongest human. And I have lived a long time."

_Flattery? What does he hope to accomplish?_

He seemed to notice her cynical attitude, for he sighed softly and lowered his gaze to the floor. "What I am saying is that I don't want your next-of-kin to become my master. I don't want to watch you grow old and feeble." His lips twisted slightly. "Hell, I can't imagine an existence without you any more."

He stood and turned slightly away from her, bowing his head. "What I really want is for you to come with me. Live with me forever, until this world sinks beneath the ocean. I know," he raised his hand, fingers half-curled, and looked down at the palm of his glove, "I know I'll never find your equal. You are what I want." He turned his head to look at her, thoroughly serious. "But the decision is yours."

After a moment, he sat down again, apparently lost in his thoughts, and Integra realized her mouth was open. She had to make a conscious effort to close it.

Her thoughts whirled through her head so fast she nearly felt dizzy. She had never realized her servant felt such deep emotion, but she did not doubt his sincerity; their bond was enough to assure her he was not deceiving her. Of course, this confession could explain many things he'd said and done in the past, things that hadn't made sense at the time. But she had truly believed her servant was soulless, incapable of love and caring.

And then there was the matter of his offer. She did find it alluring, more so since his confession, since the hope of meaningful companionship had entered her heart. She had refused to admit, especially to herself, how alone, how lonely she had been. She was suddenly struck by the irony of herself and Alucard, both suffering loneliness in silence, both wanting to reach out to the other, but each too afraid of the consequences should the other not feel the same.

She shook her head in an attempt to clear it. She had long entertained the notion of having Alucard bite her and mix his blood with hers, of the power and longevity it would afford her. But she had never considered it seriously, not like she was now. She had been too concerned with her noble blood, with her mission…so much for all that. She had been prevented from doing her family's longtime work of destroying undead creatures, and her good name had been tarnished, left in ruin by deceit and betrayal.

_Really,_ she thought bitterly, _is there anything left for me as a human?_

She felt she stood at the edge of a precipice, one moment intending to jump, the next afraid to do so. She knew she shouldn't do it, but she no longer cared. Her fellow Round Table Knights had seen to that.

But before she decided, she had to know one thing. "Alucard?" she said, keeping her indecision out of her voice.

He came out of his reverie. "Yes, Master?"

"Do you ever regret becoming a vampire? Do you ever wish you were human again?"

Alucard regarded her steadily. "Occasionally I have felt regret, though certainly not often. But I have never wished to be just human again." He said this last sentence emphatically. The same greedy light re-entered his eyes and he opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off.

"Alucard, I wish for you to make me a vampire. That is an order." She half-expected him to leap immediately upon her, but there was instead a brief moment of silence.

"You are quite sure this is what you want?" he said, his voice deep and intense.

She would have sworn she could see strange shadows moving on the edges of her sight, could hear almost-voices muttering behind her. She paused for an instant, realizing that this was certainly the most important decision she would ever make. "Yes," she said firmly.

He stepped slowly toward her, and she stood up. As he reached her, he put one arm around her, at the small of her back. His other hand touched her cheek. "Integra," he breathed, gazing into her eyes.

She said nothing, but her heart beat fast, and he bent slowly, his cool lips brushing hers. She gasped silently, and he kissed her deeply, holding her body close to his. After a long moment, he broke the kiss and began trailing a line of small kisses down her jaw. He kissed her neck and then nipped her lightly, causing her to gasp and tense up. He nipped her again, still not hard enough to break the skin, then raised his lips to her ear. "I'm going to bite now," he murmured.

She nodded, and he returned his attention to her neck. His arms tightened around her into a firm support, and she gasped, in pain this time, as he bit all the way to her jugular and began drinking greedily. She found herself unable to move, unable to even cry out. After a long moment she realized that she was breathing in gasps and beginning to feel faint.

Her mind began to go blank with fear. _Oh God, I'm going to die! Someone, help!_ But she knew there was no help coming, no way to stop her servant now that he was feeding. Her vision was going gray around the edges, and she knew that Alucard was now supporting her entire weight.

Abruptly he lowered both of them to the bed, laying her down. He raised his wrist to his mouth, pulling down the sleeve and biting himself. He placed the wound to her lips, and she swallowed the thick red liquid reflexively. Immediately, hunger kindled in her, and she drank eagerly. After a moment she was strong enough to sit up, holding his wrist to her mouth on her own.

She heard him inhale through his teeth, and a moment later he said, "That's enough, Integra." She ignored him, lost in the taste of his blood, and he pulled his wrist away from her forcefully. She sighed contentedly and licked her lips, settling back down on the bed. _Why am I suddenly so tired?_ she wondered, then sank slowly into oblivion.

---------------

Don't be a stranger—review! I am happy to accept adulation, raves, and constructive criticisms. Act now and you'll get a free response in the next chapter!


	2. It's much easier to show you

Author's note: Nothing to do with the story, but I found a beautiful Deviation that made me think of this fic a little. It's called "My Fair Lady" by pu-sama. The stupid thing won't let me post a link but if you go to www. deviantart .com and type "my fair lady alucard integra" (without quotes) into the search, it's the only thing that pops up. And it's really beautiful. ::sighs::

Sailor Water Dragon: Thanks, that was one of the important things for me, to keep them in character yet make Integra become a vampire, and of her own free will, no less. It's kinda hard to do, what with her strong sense of honor. ;) Also, I'd already written most of this chapter by the time I posted the story. You'll see where the rating comes in pretty soon now. ;)

Lady Integra Hellsing: Thank you::bows::That was part of how I started writing this; I was wondering since Alucard becomes the master of the vampires he makes, but since Integra is already his master, if he bit her, who'd come out on top (so to speak)? We'll actually find out next chapter (my take at least), although it'll change in the second story pretty early on.

Disclaimer: I have no real artistic talent. As such, I've never made any anime, Hellsing for example, nor have I written any music, say, H.I.M.'s song "The Funeral of Hearts." I'm not even a good enough writer to make money off this stuff…

Solar Eclipse

**Chapter 2**

She was the sun shining upon

The tomb of your hopes and dreams so frail

He was the moon painting you

With its glow so vulnerable and pale

---------------

Alucard stopped his pacing to look at Integra sleeping on the bed in her cell. _How much longer until she awakens?_ Ever since sundown he had been filled with a restless energy. About two and a half hours ago, the guard had brought her dinner in, grumbling in surprise over the sleeping Integra and her untouched lunch on the table.

While it was perfectly normal for a vampire to take between 2 and 5 hours to fully transform and awaken, he was unable to sit still. He wanted to get out of his cell, to take his new No Life Queen away from this dirty city and begin their existence together.

He abruptly stopped his pacing again as he heard her stir on the bed. He turned around to face her, feeding his eyes on her slender, shapely form. She stretched and yawned wide, displaying long, wickedly sharp canines. She opened her eyes—now a beautiful blood red—and looked at him. She blinked blearily, then removed her glasses and set them on the bed.

He grinned widely. _So beautiful! I can't wait to see her fight._ "Good morning, young one."

She rubbed her eyes sleepily for a moment, but when her hands fell, she was perfectly alert. Her usual intense glare surfaced, although in fiery red instead of icy blue. "Young one? What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

He walked over to her side, took her by the hands, and drew her to her feet. "Though you are a vampire, you are still as a newborn babe. You have much to learn yet," here he gave here another grin, "that is, unless you'd rather stay here."

She fixed him with an annoyed stare. "Of course not. I am already quite familiar with most of your abilities."

"Indeed," he said, "but that is different from knowing how to use them."

"Then teach me," Integra replied imperiously.

He touched her lips with a gloved forefinger. "It's much easier to show you."

He reached his mind out to hers, much as he would when reading her mind or making telepathic contact. She recoiled mentally at his touch, but he took her mind gently by a metaphorical "hand" and drew her into his mind.

He opened and showed her his memories of abilities she would need to escape the prison: how to melt into and out of walls, ceilings and floors, how to dissolve her body into bats, and how to regenerate. At last he disengaged her mind from his, and she blinked several times rapidly before recovering her equilibrium.

"Remember also," he said, "that your sight, strength, and speed are far better than human. When you're shooting or attacking, do it as though you had a third eye in your forehead. After all," he grinned, baring his fangs, "you do."

She nodded slowly, still assimilating the information, and he continued. "Lastly, and most importantly, you must feed. I expect much better of you than of the Police Girl, so do not be squeamish. Well you know that your body will become weak if you don't." He trailed his fingertips down her cheek. "You don't want that, now, do you?"

Her eyes flashed, and she replied, "I am looking forward to hurting these maggots."

He laughed long and hard, and allowed himself to indulge his excitement, his desire for blood. "Wonderful! Come, let us leave this place."

She frowned slightly. "By what means shall we leave?"

He laughed again, maliciously. "By the front door, of course. We can't leave without saying goodbye. Besides," he added, more seriously now, "you need to feed before the night is over if you want to grow into your full power."

She considered a moment, then nodded. Her face broke into a feral grin. _Excellent, blood lust. She will make a worthy midian indeed._

"I had rather thought we should pay a visit to the guards on the way out," he said, trying to quell his rising excitement. "One for each of us, see?" At her nod, he continued. "Very well then. The first thing you shall practice is melting through walls."

He walked over to stand on one side of the door, and she took her place on the other. He gathered his darkness around him, extending it into and through the wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Integra doing the same. He stepped through.

Suddenly he was in a hallway, with the guard who had been on the other side of the wall now just before him. He felt the blood lust, the mad thirst for battle, pounding through his body and singing in his ears. Before the guard even realized Alucard was behind him, he was bitten and being efficiently drained of blood. He dropped his late meal, emptied of blood and with its neck severed, and looked at Integra.

She was staring at him, her face speaking of hunger and enthrallment. She had the guard trapped in her grip, her hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

"Feed, Integra. Only then will you gain your true strength."

She looked at the man for a moment, then bit him fiercely and drained him. After he was emptied of blood, she dropped him, and he could see the battle madness rising in her eyes.

He went to her in two quick strides and ripped the man's neck the rest of the way open. "Like this," he said, "so he won't become a ghoul."

She bared her teeth at him in a bloodstained grin. "Come on. I am eager to leave this place."

He followed her toward the entrance, and she paused just out of sight of the guard station at the door. He could hear between six and eight humans performing various tasks.

She looked at him, her feral grin returning. "Let's go, Alucard."

They fell upon the men like angels of death, ripping throats and drinking blood like an exquisite dance, like a violent hurricane and just as unstoppable. Not two minutes later they stood still amid the wreckage of the station and the dead bodies of the guards, the room quiet once again.

He smiled at the fallen angel before him and crossed to her. "You've spilled some blood." He bent close, licking the excess off her cheeks.

"Does that taste good, Alucard?" she murmured, deliberately teasing him, and he felt his desire rising in response.

He controlled himself with an effort of will. "It is getting late, and I would prefer to get to my coffin before sunrise. Shall we?"

They stepped outside, only to be met by Sir Irons and four men with what looked to be confiscated Hellsing weapons made for fighting vampires.

"Why, Miss Integra, I must admit I'm disappointed. While I suspected you would try something untoward, I had hoped you would control your madness." He chuckled. "No mind, I'll just rid you of this monster. He's clearly had far too much influence over you."

He gestured, and Alucard suddenly found himself looking down the barrel of four dangerous weapons. He looked over to Integra.

A breeze stirred her hair, and she began to speak softly yet angrily. "You, Sir Irons, are a disgrace to the Round Table and all of England. You disgust me." She moved, suddenly upon him, and ripped him literally in half.

The men, obviously not expecting this, reacted in panic. Three of them brought their weapons to bear on Integra, while the fourth began firing on Alucard.

He grinned, dodging the gunfire easily, and moved in behind the men. "Too slow!" he cried gleefully, and attacked the one who'd fired upon him. The men again panicked, no longer knowing who to shoot, and Integra came to help him finish them off.

The meal finished, he found Integra still crouched over her last victim, and he took her gently but firmly by the shoulders and drew her away. "Integra, you've had enough."

Slowly the blood frenzy faded from her eyes, and she inhaled deeply, calming herself.

"Let's go home, Alucard."

"Would you like to learn to fly, then?" he asked with a lazy, contented smile.

She nodded, smiling like a child trying to hide excitement, and he took her up in his arms, demonstrating how to push downwards and back with her darkness. Very quickly she got the hang of it, and they flew in companionable silence back to the deserted Hellsing mansion.

The sky was just beginning to lighten in the east as they arrived, so he took her straight down to his room in the basement. He sighed and stretched, seating himself on his chair. _It feels good to be home._

Integra stood about a pace away, studying him with her arms crossed, and he in return studied her. A small smile played about her lips. "You look very dashing."

He smiled easily in return. "You would never have admitted that when you were human."

Her smile widened. "True, I never did. But I'm not human any more." Her smile dimmed. "I can feel that. My mind feels…different. I don't think the same way I used to. Not to mention," she added wryly, "the differences to my body."

_Her body…_ He took a moment to study her body. She had platinum blond hair, past shoulder length, and a lovely dark complexion, albeit paler than when she had been alive. Her eyes, once a pale icy blue, were now the orange-red of fire.

She was tall and slender, her figure nearly that of an hourglass but less dramatic. The masculine suits she habitually wore, what she was wearing even now, hid the more flattering aspects of her figure, but he remembered how beautiful and shapely she was.

"And you," he said, breaking the silence, "look absolutely ravishing." Her face lit up, and he added mischievously, "But we must do something about your fashion sense."

She raised an eyebrow, a threatening look on her face. "Why, what's wrong with it?"

"Well, it's fine for a Knight of the Round Table and leader of a secret military organization, but you are currently neither. You should perhaps wear something more…flattering."

"I am _not_ wearing a skimpy outfit just to amuse you!"

Alucard leaned back and put his hands behind his head, secretly pleased at having riled her up. "It doesn't have to be skimpy, then. Just go with something that's designed for women instead of men."

She snorted. "And where would I get this mythical outfit, anyway? I'm probably a wanted criminal by now, plus vampires tend to attract undue attention in crowded areas."

He took off his hat and glasses, setting them beside his chair, and stretched. "Guess I'll show you how to alter your appearance, then."

Her eyebrows rose. "I didn't know you could do that."

He grinned. "What, you never noticed that my clothing regenerated as well as my flesh after being shot?" She glared at him, irritated, and he relented.

"Well, changing the appearance of your clothing is easy. You just envision clearly how you want to be dressed and it will happen. The effect remains until you change it again, and the clothing can even be removed and retains its appearance. Changing your body's appearance, however, is much harder. After months of practice, you will be able to change details like eye color or hair length, but anything more dramatic will require either constant concentration or many years of practice."

"So, I just imagine it how I want it to look?"

Alucard nodded. "It might take you a couple of tries to get the hang of it."

She closed her eyes, and her clothing shimmered and transformed into a long, full-skirted white dress. Her eyes opened slowly. She looked down at her new outfit and smiled.

His eyes went wide in surprise and consternation. _What? Not like that!_ He stood up out of his chair and walked toward her. He stopped mere inches from her, putting one hand in the small of her back and the other on the back of her neck. "I was thinking of something more like this," he murmured, lowering his forehead to rest against hers and projecting an image into her mind.

She pulled away slightly with a laugh. "Alucard, why am I not surprised?" Her clothing began to shimmer again, and as her new outfit appeared, he felt his heart skip a beat.

She was now clad in a black, strappy dress. The front had dark red ribbon laced across the bodice, and the back was an open V, with more red ribbon lacing. The skirt was slightly ruffled and came down slightly above the knee. She wore black shoes and black silk gloves with red ribbon cinches at the wrist.

He swallowed hard, his heart pounding now. He felt his hands trembling with desire. _Oh hell, I want her!_ He tipped her head back farther and kissed her deeply, hungrily. After a moment, he felt her relax into the kiss. His hands trailed down her sides, following her figure, to rest on her hips.

He broke the kiss. "Integra," he murmured, his voice a deep bass. "I have never seen you so beautiful." He caressed her cheek worshipfully and was rewarded with a slight blush. "Well," he added with a smile, "except perhaps when we met for the first time, when you told me you'd die before giving up."

She laughed, and he scooped her up abruptly into his arms, carried her over to his coffin, and lay her down inside. She gazed up at him, her eyes seeming to pierce through him, and he grinned suddenly. He lowered himself down atop her, slipping one arm under her back as he did so.

He kissed her again, pressing his hips against hers, and she moaned softly. This time she broke the kiss after a long while and then ran a hand along the inside of his thigh whilst smiling coquettishly. "Do you want something, Alucard?" Her hand slid over to caress his erection through his clothes.

He began removing her dress savagely, desperate to get the suddenly offending garment off. She grinned, apparently amused by his loss of control, and ran her hands up and down his chest.

He managed to get the dress up to her waist, but then she caught him by his tie and pulled him in for another long kiss. They broke apart, and he threw aside his trench coat, then set about removing the dress entirely and laying it beside the coffin on the floor.

Now her hands set to work on his clothing. With his help, she soon had his shirt and tie off. She paused then, running her fingertips slowly down his chest toward the clasp of his pants, so slowly he thought he would howl in frustration. As she began unbuttoning them, he removed her bra and began teasing her breasts with his lips and tongue.

Her fingers faltered and stopped working on his pants, and her eyes glazed over. Her mouth formed a small O, but then suddenly she was unzipping his pants and pushing them down as far as she could, a savage hunger in her eyes.

He raised his body, removing the last of his clothing, then removed her panties and resettled himself on top of her. She lay suddenly still beneath him, her eyes half closed.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, his voice husky.

She opened her brilliant eyes wide. "No, I've just…your skin feels so nice."

He kissed her tenderly this time, and caressed her body, reveling in her skin's silken texture. "Be mine forever," he murmured.

She smiled almost angelically. "I would like that."

----------------

Roses are red,  
Violets are blue,  
I'll give you both  
If you'll just review!


	3. I suppose we'll be needing some money

Author's note: Bit longer chapter this time. And just so you know, I have never been to London, nor do I know how much it costs to rent there. So if I've got that stuff horribly wrong, meh. :P In addition, Chapter 2 has 80-some hits, and I'm pretty sure the 3 who reviewed didn't cause all of them. Do your civic duty, people: review. Also, this chapter's lyrics are possibly the best ever. :D

Turtlerad17: Uh, thanks, I think. ;)

Lady Integra Hellsing: Thank you kindly. I'm glad we share a love of all things AxI. ;) And I can't help but think that while she probably wouldn't ever become a vampire, she'd make such an awesome one… :D

CornCob: Thank you very much. ;) And obviously, here's another chapter (just for you ;)

_Gives all her reviewers roses and violets_ :D Thank you for leaving your comments, it really does mean a lot!

Disclaimer: I have no real artistic talent. As such, I've never made any anime, Hellsing for example, nor have I written any music, say, H.I.M.'s song "The Funeral of Hearts." I'm not even a good enough writer to make money off this stuff…

Solar Eclipse

**Chapter 3**

She was the wind carrying in

All the troubles and fears

You've for years tried to forget

He was the fire, restless and wild

And you were like a moth to that flame

---------------

Integra awoke slowly, her mind passing through realizations of security, contentment, and warmth on its journey toward consciousness. Eventually she awoke, stretching—her eyes opened wide as she found her arms prevented from extending fully. _That's right,_ she thought, _I'm in Alucard's coffin._ She turned her head to gaze at him.

He lay on his back, head thrown back slightly. He looked so innocent, so vulnerable in his sleep, with his lips slightly parted and all trace of grin or glare removed from his face. His black hair lay around his face and head like some fallen angel's halo.

She was curled up beside him, her arm over his stomach. He head, which had been pillowed on his shoulder, was now elevated as much as possible without opening the coffin lid so as to study him. She smiled tenderly and lifted her hand to brush his cheek gently.

Her eyes drifted lower. His body looked like a thing sculpted from marble, perfect, pale and so cool in comparison to human flesh. His body was tall and slender, with long, well-defined muscles. She studied his strong shoulders, noticing a puckered scar over his heart. He stirred slightly when she touched it, and she drew her hand back immediately. Her gaze traveled down his abdomen to his legs, which were crossed just enough to conceal his sex. They were long, slender yet still masculine, and she was suddenly flooded with memories of last night's passion.

She felt her breathing and pulse speed up at the memory of making love to him. The way he had dominated her had both excited her and driven her to no end of delightful frustration. Beneath the dominance game, however, she had clearly felt his deep love for her, and his tenderness afterwards had made her so very glad she had chosen to join him.

She smiled wickedly. _Next time, I'm gonna be on top!_ The smile softened, and she lay her head back down on his shoulder and lost herself in thoughts and memories of him.

She did not know how long she lay there until he stirred and opened his eyes. He blinked and sat up, bringing the coffin's lid and her own body along with him. His arms encircled her and he held her naked form close to his. "Good evening, my love."

_Evening? Oh, right._ "Good evening," she murmured, her hand cupping the side of his face. "I hope you slept well."

He chuckled. "Quite. I haven't had such a workout since I fought Incognito. Or had so much fun," he added with a mischievous smile. He tipped her chin up and gave her a lingering kiss. Together they fell back down into the coffin, Integra on top.

The kissing slowly developed into foreplay, and abruptly she caught him by his wrists and pinned them above his head. She smiled sweetly at the look of surprise on his face. "My turn for some fun," she said in a sultry voice.

His expression changed to a smug smile. "You may be strong for a new-born vampire, but I am much stronger than you." He flexed his muscles casually, and his arms slowly pushed hers back.

She gave him a feral grin. "You're forgetting something."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Servant, submit to me. That is an order."

His mouth dropped open in surprise and outrage. "Integra—" He suddenly frowned, an odd expression on his face. "No," he murmured, almost making it a question. "I don't want to…"

She stared at him in confusion, her lustful thoughts forgotten. "Wh-what do you mean? Alucard?"

"Integra," he said, an intense, unreadable expression on his face, "I don't have to."

"You mean," she whispered, feeling the faintest tinge of fear, "the seal is gone?"

He frowned in concentration. "Yes. No, no it isn't gone; it's more like it has been counteracted, nullified somehow."

Integra's eyes widened. "Seras," she said, realizing the probable reason. "Before she…before they…" She broke off, unable to say it aloud. Seras, unable to dissolve into walls like Alucard, had been captured and imprisoned in the same facility as Integra. As part of her captors' efforts to break her, they had claimed before Integra to have repeatedly tortured and later destroyed the fledgling vampire. Alucard had dismissed the claim off-handedly, but she feared he was lying to her so she would remain strong.

Alucard sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Yes, before they killed the Police Girl, you were saying…"

She closed her eyes, feeling a tightness in her chest. "Before, she was bound somewhat to your will. I know she disobeyed you when you told her to feed, but other than that, she did what you told her to do."

"Of course," Alucard said, looking pained. "Only when a fledgling drinks its master's blood des it become a full vampire and gain release from its master's will. Technically, by that, you should be under my control. Most probably that is why it didn't work." He sat a moment in thoughtful silence.

"You haven't shown any inclination to call me Master, so I doubt you are under my control." He pursed his lips. "Stick out your tongue. That is an order."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Nope, it doesn't work. I guess they just cancel each other out."

He grinned. "I can see already that this will be interesting."

She gave him a wry smile in return. "It will be an adjustment, that's for sure."

He drew her in for a brief kiss, then murmured, "Get up."

She got off him, standing, and he stood beside her. He clothed himself with a thought, and she followed suit.

"You," he said solemnly, "need to choose a new name."

"What?" she said, looking at him as though he were crazy.

He sighed. "Yes, for the same reasons I have changed mine on several occasions over the years. Your name is too well known, not only among human circles, but also, and more importantly, among vampires. You've killed enough of them, not to mention your ancestors before you, to earn a great deal of enmity. And while you are," here he seemed to swell with pride, "very strong for such a young vampire, you are hardly invulnerable.

"What's more, choosing your name has an effect on your powers; that is, it allows you to intentionally hold your powers back, and release them to a desired level at any time. Your ancestors took this and bound it to their bloodline and will." He grimaced at the memory. "This is, however, useful in not wasting excess energy on weak opponents and hiding your true strength from strong ones."

"A name, huh?" she said thoughtfully. "I don't suppose you have any suggestions?"

"I meant it when I said _you_ have to decide," he said, his expression serious. "It should be something meaningful, though, perhaps related to the circumstances of your turning."

She considered that. _Anger, bitterness toward the humans who betrayed my bloodline._ She studied Alucard's face for a moment, forcing herself to admit the real reason, the greatest factor in her choice. _Love, and the hope of a loving relationship with the one being who has always stood for me._ She smiled at the irony, that humans had deserted her but the one they considered a vicious, uncontrollable monster had been more kind and faithful than they.

_Love it is, then._ She smiled as it came to her, the name that suited her best, the name she wanted to hear from his lips the next time they made love. "Venus," she said simply.

His eyes seemed to dance like candle flames, and he grinned. She felt what seemed like wind circling her, and some light lit Alucard's face, though she wasn't sure of the source. She felt her hair begin to float upward so it was pointing out away from the sides of her head. She looked at her arm and realized two things: first, that she seemed to be glowing, and second, that her gloves now had a design on them.

After a moment, the wind stopped, and she studied her gloves more closely. They now had a pentacle on them, much like Alucard's, but hers had different letters and runes, along with what she thought were some ancient astronomical symbols.

He stepped in close and drew her into his arms. "Venus," he murmured, trying the name on her. "It's beautiful," he said with conviction and kissed her. He held her for a long moment, then sighed and released her. "We have to relocate, love. This is the first place they will come looking for you."

"Of course," she murmured, saddened at the idea of leaving her ancestral home, though she knew he was right. "We should probably go to some large city," she mused, "as that will assure us a supply of food and allow us to lose ourselves in the crowd."

"Well," he said with a grin, "we have already cleared London of vampires, or at least troublesome ones, so it will be easy to stake out territory there for ourselves."

She nodded her assent. "I suppose we'll be needing some money, then." At his nod, she slipped through the walls up to her office. Opening a hidden safe in the wall, she withdrew her emergency stash: £500 and a false ID for herself. She wished for a moment that she had one for Alucard, or rather one that hadn't been used and documented in the organization's files. _Of course, I didn't exactly plan on running away with him._

After some consideration, she grabbed the ID in the file, shredding the accompanying papers. _That will at least slow down any investigation if he does have to use it._ She returned to the basement, where Alucard was packing his few belongings into his coffin—a few bottles of wine and his chalice, several ancient-looking books, and an old but well-preserved broadsword.

He looked up at her. "Have you anything you wish to bring?" After some consideration, she added three irreplaceable books on dark creatures from her library and a small assortment of weapons and munitions.

He replaced the coffin's lid and bound it with three leather straps. Having done this, he again turned to her. "The night is still young. Let us find ourselves a home."

She gave him a warm smile. "Sounds like an excellent plan, my love."

They set off toward London's lights at a great pace, the sort of speed that only vampires can achieve and maintain. Within minutes, they had reached the city's outskirts. They adapted a more normal human pace now that there were humans about.

They walked briskly through the city, making their way toward the shadier part of town. She had donned a long black overcoat shortly after entering the city because of the openly desirous stares she had received. She had been surprised by the attention, as she was quite unaccustomed to being seen as beautiful, but Alucard had assured her that the only difference was how flattering her clothing was.

They found their way to a neighborhood of tall buildings and narrow alleys, the sort of neighborhood where they would be able to get an apartment, no questions asked, as long as they had cash for it.

"Ideally," Alucard said conversationally, "I'd like to live only briefly in an apartment, just until we get the necessary money and connections to buy a large old house. You will find," he added with a smile, pausing before a tall house, "old houses to be more comfortable, now that you are a midian." He gestured at a sign on the tiny lawn that read "Basement for Rent."

She followed him down the sidewalk and stood by as he rang the doorbell. After perhaps a minute and a half, a dumpy older woman answered the door.

"What do you want?" She looked distinctly irritated.

Alucard gave her a charming smile, careful not to display his fangs. "We wish to inquire about your space for rent."

She scoffed. "Are you bloody crazy? It's after 9 already. Come back tomorrow."

Integra—Venus—heard Alucard's voice in her head. _Pull out your wallet._ She stifled a smile as she realized what he was up to. She took her wallet out of her pocket and opened it up to thumb through the bills.

The woman stopped glaring at Alucard.

"A pity," he said, modulating his voice into disappointment. "Very well," he said, turning to Venus, "Let us move on to the next on our list."

"Hold on," the woman said, obviously trying not to sound too eager. "Maybe my husband can work something out with you. Mind you, it's somewhat of a nuisance, but we do try."

"How kind of you," Alucard said, his thoughts dripping with sarcasm.

She invited them in and sat them in the parlor. A minute later, they were joined by her husband, a short man who appeared to be of the same age as his wife; in his youth he had no doubt been powerfully built, judging by his frame.

He insisted that they call him Earl, though he reminded them more than once that his wife preferred to be called Mrs. Vincent. He got right down to business, offering them the entire use of the basement, as well as the bathroom at the top of the stairs, plus utilities for £200 a month.

They proceeded down the stairs to have a look around. The basement was comprised of three rooms, with one large room and two small rooms which together equaled the size of the large one. The walls and floor were of cement, damp but clean. They were lit by bare incandescent bulbs overhead and a few small windows at ground level. The second small room had storm doors which led directly outside.

They proceeded back upstairs and began to discuss in earnest. Together, they managed to talk him down to £175. He stressed to them that high levels of noise would not be tolerated, and Alucard reassured the man that since he and his wife—here Venus smiled to herself—both worked third shift, they would be sleeping much of the day and would not be a bother.

The deal settled, Venus handed over money for the first month's rent and Alucard left to retrieve their "things."

Earl excused himself to go to bed, and Venus went back to the basement to have another look. She studied the large room, deciding at length that it would make a good sitting room, once it was furnished.

She went into the first small room, the one without an outside door. It had a basic wooden door separating it from the rest of the basement. _It will make an excellent bedroom._

She then proceeded to the last room. It was identical to the other small room, save for the set of steps that let to the storm doors. She thought for some time, pondering how best to use this room. _Storage, perhaps?_ Though she didn't feel satisfied with that decision, she accepted it for the moment.

She was becoming restless by the time she heard Alucard's voice in her mind. _Open the storm doors._ She did so, and he glided in carrying his coffin. He followed her into the other small room, laid it down, and undid the straps holding it shut.

He opened it up, and she noticed a heavy tapestry had been added to the items within, taken from the entrance hall to the Hellsing mansion. "For the window," he explained, and secured it over the high window in the room, blocking out the faint moonlight.

"Very nice," she murmured, and he flashed her a fanged smile. They quickly unpacked their meager belongings, arranging them within the bedroom for the present. After they finished, Alucard turned to her.

"Ordinarily, I would at this point help you procure a coffin of your own. However, as you are my mate, I think we'll be fine sharing mine."

_His mate._ She felt a small shiver go up her spine. _I like that._ He smiled, caressing her cheek and seeming almost to purr with contentment.

"We won't be hungry for a couple of nights yet, so let us go out and seek fortune. This place will be cozy, but I prefer to be able to move around more."

"I had noticed that," she said, smiling and taking his arm. They slipped quietly out of the house and walked for a time in silence.

"So," she said, "how do you intend to make money enough to buy a large house?"

He frowned at her. "Think about it, my Countess."

She fixed him with an irritated glare. "I would remind you that I've spent most of my life learning how to destroy vampires. I know little of anything else."

He chuckled. "Venus, you are yet so young…you will learn much over the course of your long life." His smile became more predatory. "I had been thinking that we would make excellent hit men, to use the term loosely. After all, the profession is lucrative because of the short average lifespan inherent to the work. We, however, needn't worry much about that."

He stopped and turned, facing her fully. "We already have the requisite weapons and abilities. We can even use our targets as food when we are hungry. Really, it works out perfectly. What's more, we need not do it forever. Once we can assure ourselves a comfortable life, we quit and find something else to do with our time."

Venus nodded slowly. While she wasn't keen on becoming an assassin, the obvious merits completely overrode any moral objections. "We just have to find someone with a need for such…services."

Alucard grinned and resumed walking. "Exactly. Unfortunately, neither of us have ties to such unsavory characters, so we will have to forge them."

The remainder of the night was spent in reconnaissance. They wandered London's more dangerous streets, watching for signs of crime lords, their best bet for a job. They returned that morning with a couple of vague clues of where to start but nothing concrete.

As she lay curled next to Alucard's sleeping form, Venus found herself thinking back to her teen years. More specifically, thinking of the first time she had met him. She had been a frightened thirteen-year-old, abandoned and hunted by her own blood. He had torn through the men hunting her like so many wet paper bags, and she had been caught firmly between fascination and horror. But when he took that bullet for her, she was immediately filled with peace and calm.

Since their meeting, she had never been able to take her eyes, her thoughts, completely off him. He was always in the background, waiting in the shadows for her summons. Even as she grew ice-cold under her rigid self-control, she wondered at his passions and humors, marveled at the fire that burned within his undead soul

She smiled to herself, wondering in hindsight if there was ever any question of her accepting his offer. From a young age, she had been warned of the ferocity, violence, and deceptiveness of vampires, had been warned never to trust them. She had grown to understand that they had no human heart and were incapable of love and caring.

But from the moment she met Alucard, he had been honest and faithful to her. He was dangerous and violent, it was true, but she was the one who controlled and channeled that violence; she never had to fear any harm from him.

And so she had been fascinated, drawn to the paradox that was him: at once violent and gentle, caring yet callous, creature of the dark in the service of the light. Even while she destroyed vampires so vile, so cruel they made her stomach turn, she could look at her dark knight and say to herself, "Not all of them are like that."

And there were times, as she lay awake at night, when she had wondered what it would be like to be a vampire, to have that strength and immortality. It enticed and repulsed her simultaneously, the desire for strength balancing her fear of becoming a monster.

The equilibrium of that scale had been further strained in the time after Seras became a vampire. The undead woman was obviously anything but a monster. So clearly to become a vampire was not to automatically become a monster.

Looking back, her betrayal had been the final straw, but she couldn't help but think that sooner or later she would have joined him. Everything that happened in her life drove them closer together, drove her closer to the inevitable. _Rather like a moth to a candle's flame._ Her contented smile dimmed, and she hoped fervently that she would not be consumed by his flame.

She raised her head to look at his sleeping face. _No, he will protect me from harm. Even,_ she realized with a bittersweet smile, _even from himself._ Clinging to the knowledge of his love, she drifted off into sleep.

--------------

Alucard held his Venus, his Integra, close in his arms, and was content. But even though he could feel her body against his, he knew something wasn't right. He looked down at her. Her face had changed from its calm, sleepy expression to surprise and fear.

Suddenly Abraham had her by the hair and was pulling her away from him, driving a stake through his heart to prevent her from ever having it again. He bellowed in rage, he keened in anguish, and even begged, weeping, _Please don't take her away! Not her too, not like Mina…_

Alucard snapped awake abruptly, his normally sluggish heart pounding fast by vampire standards.

_Just a dream…_

Slowly he calmed down, gazing at Venus's sleeping face. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. After losing Mina, he had lived his life in sullen and bitter resentment, and much of his 20-year sleep before being woken by Integra had been filled with thoughts of revenge and hatred. But when he had seen the new heir of Hellsing, or more precisely, seen her courage and determination, his thoughts of revenge had been replaced with admiration for his new master. She had essentially usurped Mina's niche in his heart—he had been fascinated by her from the day they met.

Unfortunately, while at times he delighted in her, at other times she brought back the painful memories he wanted to escape, and this time he couldn't even muster hatred as a shield from the pain.

As she grew into a woman, he couldn't help but admire and secretly worship her. She had, all unknowingly, healed the pain left in his heart by her ancestor. He reached the point where the thought of her growing old and dying was something he couldn't accept, couldn't live with.

And when she'd given herself to him and joined him in immortality, he'd felt complete, for the first time since before Mina had been snatched from him. Of course, he still feared her destruction, but she was strong and immortal now; he didn't need fear nearly so much as he had when she had been human.

He closed his eyes, swearing again to himself to protect and love her forever. _Forever._ That thought brought a smile to his lips. _We have forever to love one another._ As cruel as life had been to Integra, he was infinitely glad it had driven her into his arms. He smiled and let himself relax into sleep's arms once more.

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